Causes of Type 1 Diabetes

We do not yet know the cause of type 1 diabetes. Scientists suspect a combination of hereditary and environmental factors.

The ultimate mechanism involved in the cause of type 1 diabetes is the body’s immune system which for some unknown reason attacks the body’s insulin producing beta cells. The body continues to attack these cells as most or all beta cell production eventually ceases. See Diagram below:

The Mayo Clinic notes several known risk factors for developing type 1 diabetes:

Family History- Having a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes slightly increases the risk.

Genetics- Certain genes predispose a person to developing type 1.

Location- The incidence of type 1 diabetes increases the farther away one is from the equator.

Age- Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age any age but scientists have observed noticeable peaks between the ages of 4-7 and 10-14.

The Fifth Edition of the ADA’s The Complete Guide to Diabetes notes that regarding race and ethnicity, white people are much more likely to develop type 1 diabetes when compared to other other racial groups. The authors write, “Most likely, certain racial groups pass down genes that either trigger or protect against type 1 diabetes.”

The Complete Guide to Diabetes also mentions the possibility of certain chemicals and drugs that can trigger type 1 diabetes: “Pryiminil, a poison used to kill rats, can trigger type 1 diabetes. Two prescription drugs, pentamidine (used to treat pneumonia) and L-asparaginase (an anticancer drug) can also cause type 1 diabetes.”

Other potential risk factors which have been suspected and studied but not proven include: